US 5,179,952 AGranted

Electrocardial stimulator probe

AssigneeArzco Medical Electronics, Inc.

InventorsRimas P. Buinevicius, William Metzger

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Abstract

A probe for electrocardial stimulation includes a catheter-like conduit for insertion into a patient's esophagus. The conduit has openings which are spaced apart at two longitudinal locations which are closely adjacent to the patient's heart when the probe is positioned in the esophagus. The openings pick up heart sounds and transmit them to the interior of the conduit for communication to the proximal end of the probe, where they can be monitored by attending personnel. Two electrodes are spaced apart longitudinally between and in fixed relation to the openings, so as to position the electrodes accurately relative to the heart based upon heart sounds transmitted through the openings. Other functions, such as a temperature sensor or stomach feeding or pumping capability may also be provided inside the conduit.

Claims15

Dependent claims

An electrocardial probe insertable into an esophagus of a body with the esophagus located adjacent to a cardiac organ, the probe comprising:

a tubular, flexible, hollow conduit with an exterior surface, a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end and said conduit are sized and shaped for insertion, at least in part, into the esophagus with said conduit defining an axially extending interior lumen to communicate cardiac sounds from inside the body to said proximal end, said lumen and said exterior surface bounding a conduit wall;
means, at said proximal end, for communicating sounds inside said hollow conduit to an external listening device;
at least one electrode carried on said exterior surface usable for one of cardiac monitoring or stimulation;
a conductor coupled to and extending between said electrode and said proximal end;
means, at said proximal end, for connecting said conductor to an external source of electrical energy for use in one of cardiac monitoring or stimulation;
at least two sets of sound transmissive openings formed in said conduit wall, said sets of openings are spaced apart longitudinally along said conduit with said electrode positioned therebetween, first and second openings of each said set are symmetrically spaced radially on said conduit surface wherein said openings are longitudinally positionable along the esophagus adjacent to the cardiac organ to receive cardiac sounds and wherein said electrode thereby is located between said sets so as to be usable for atrial-type cardiac stimulation.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.